Valve mechanism for pressure cookers



Nov. 20, 1945.

A. R. THOMPSON VALVE MECHANISM FOR PRESSURE COOKERS F lta uL;

Filed April 20, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Nov. 20, 1945. A: R. THOMPSON 0 VALVE] MECHANISM FOR PRESSURE COOKERS Filed April 20, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 'F- 'Il5 E INVENTOR 4/6) 1?. Thompson BY dad/1M ATTORNEY Nov. 20, 1945. A. RjTHOMPSON 2,389,330

VALVE MECHANISM FOR PRESSURE CGOKERS Filed April 20,v 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v FIE 4|= INVENTOR ATTORNEY Nov. 20, 1945. A. R. THOMPSON VALVE MECHANISM FOR PRESSURE COOKERS .5 Shets-Sheet 4 Filed April 20, 1942 INVENTOR l4/fif/l E. Thompson W) MM ATTORNEY Nov. 20, 1945. A. R. THOMPSON 2,389,330

VALVE MECHANISM FOR PRESSURE COOKERS- Filed April 20, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 F'IISV E ,0

w" 1 ""ill nl I- I I Iil v I l I y I I 5.9 INVENTOR A/berf ,6 Thompson ATTORNEY Patented Nov. %& 19455 7 a rare r orrica VALVE MEQHANISM FOR PRESSUR @OOKERS Application April 20, 1942, Serial No. 439,738

(on. l98211) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to pressure cookers and is concerned more particularly with the provision of an improved pressure cooker adapted for use in the processing of dried fruit such as prunes. It is a general object of the invention to provide a pressure cooker for use in treating or processing dried prunes wherein the prunes are sub- Jected to steam under pressure for a desired interval of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pressure cooker of the character referred to having a desirable valve mechanism for introducin and discharging the prunes from the pressure cooker.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pressure cooker of the character referred to which is constructed to avoid gumming or sticking of the parts because of the sticky character of the fruit handled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pressure cooker of the character referred to wherein operation of the valve mechanism and the conveyor within the cooker are all in a timed relation to insure successful handling of prunes in bulk form.

Figure 10 is a sectional view ofthe draper taken as indicated by the line llllil in Figure 8.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the cooker includes a casing l0 which may be supported by suitable standards H. The casing l0 encloses a draper or conveyor indicated generally at I2 (Figure 3) to which the prunes are fed by intake valve mechanism indicated generally at 13. The discharge end of the conveyor (Figure 4) is associated with a similar discharge valve mechanism It. The valve mechanisms [3 and were similar and will be described in detail hereinafter.

The casing it is generally cylindrical inform and is closed at its ends by similar covers it (Figures 2 and 6). To detachably secure the covers in place, each cover is provided with a plurality of split brackets ll (Figures 6 and 7), each of which is engaged by wing nut l8 threaded to a bolt l9 pivoted at H to the casing H). A suitable sealing ring 23 (Figure 7) may be provided in a recessed boss 22 of each of the covers it to engage the casing to insure a tight Joint.

Another object of the invention is to provide I will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan 'view of a pressure cooker embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the cooker shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the intake valve of the cooker taken as indicated by the line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the discharge valve of the cooker taken as indicated by the line di in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view through the discharge valve of the cooker taken as indicated by the line 55 in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the cooker.

Figure '7 is a detail. taken as indicated by the line ll-I in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a plan view of a portion of the draper.

Figure 9 is an elevational view of the draper, the view being partially in section.

Within the casing It, a steam pipe 26 may be provided (Figure 3) to which steam under pressure may be supplied if desired with a suitable thermostat control (not shown). Suitable cleanout pipes 2] (Figures 2, 3 and 4) may be provided in the lower portion of casing It. I

At the feed end of the cooker, the casing H] is apertured to communicate with the housing 3! of intake valve I3. Housing 3! has a suitable flange 32 which is supported upon and secured to a flanged support 33 suitably secured as by welding around an opening formed in the casing Ill. The housing 3| includes a cylindrical wall M which receives a valve rotor 36 secured on transverse shaft 31. and having a series of transversely extending pockets 38.

The specific construction of the rotor 36 and its mounting is similar to that o1v the discharge valve Id and will be described in connection with the latter valve. For the present, it is sufflcient to understand that the pockets 38 successively register with a feed opening 39 and a discharge opening ll and receive charges of prunes in a controlled manner from a timing valve 62 (Figure 3) which is in the form of a gate secured on shaft 43 and extending the full length of the pockets 38. The shaft 43 is supported by suitable bearings on a feed hopper 44 which is secured on valve housing 3|. Prunes are fed to the hopper M by suitable feed means such as a belt or shaker conveyor (not shown) which provides a relatively constant rate of feed.

The timing valve 42 (Figure 3) operates to pcriodically open and close the feed opening 3.8 so that when a desired amount is deposited in a pocket 88, the feed of prunes is interrupted until the next pocket a is in position to receive prunes. This operation will be described in detail later,

forming the drive gear for the valve rotor. Gear guidesll on the draper frame. The drive chains are engaged at their drive end by drive sprockets 8| (Figures 4 and 5) secured on shaft 82 Journalled in suitable bearings on the draper frame. As seen in Figure 5 shaft 82 hasan endwise releasable drive coupling 88 with a stub-drive shaft 88 suitably journalled in a. bearing 81 removably secured on the casing Iii. Shaft 88 carries a sprocket 88 which -is driven through chain 88 from a sprocket SI on shaft 82 referred to hereinafter. I

82 which meshes with a pinion 88 on shaft H v which carries a worm gear 88 meshing with a suitable worm 51 on shaft 58 (Figure 1) Shaft 88 carries a pulley 88 which is driven preferably from a variable speed motor (not shown).

From the above description it will be seen that the valve 38 and drive disc 48 for the timing valve 42 are driven in a timed relation to each other and the timing is such that the timing valve 42 will operate once for each pocket 38. The parts are shown in Figure 3 at the beginning of the stroke of the timing valve 42 which first travels slowly and just ahead of the rear wall of the adjacent pocket 38 and then more speedily until it approaches its closing position when it will slow down as it cuts off the flow of prunes. The flow of prunes is cut of! before the rear wall a of the pocket reaches the section 35 of the cylindrical wall to the right of the feed opening 88. Wall section 35 is of suflicient length so that the pocket engaged therewith is closed from both the feed and the discharge passages to maintain the pressure within the cooker. Discharge of the prunes from the pockets 38 is facilitated by a recessed portion liI in housing 3| whose height is such with respect to the shape of the pocket 38 that no prunes will contact the wall 35 before the leading edge of the pocket reaches the recessed portion 8 I. f I

The prunes from the feed pockets 88 are discharged onto the conveyor or draper I2. The draper assembly I2 is constructed as a unit and is preferably removably mounted within the housing so as to be readily installedand withdrawn therefrom as necessary for repair or cleaning. For this purpose, the casing In may be provided with opposite parallel tracks 86 (Figures 3 Mounted for movement on the draper frame is a draper II which comprises a series of substantially U-shaped cross bars 12 (Figures 8 and 9). Each cross bar I2 has its ends riveted to respective links I3 of a pair of opposite chains. Adjacent links 13 of each chain are joined by a pivotal connecting pin I4. The bars I2 are connected at a central point intermediate the adjacent pivots 14 of the chain so that the space between a pair of adjacent bars I2 coincides with the pivotal axis of the pins I4 for the chain links I8 to which such bars are connected. The flanges of the U-shaped bars 12 are preferably converging as shown in Figure 9 so that the bars can move around the curved paths at the ends of the draper without interference.

The drive chains (Figure 3) are engaged at one end by a pair'of idler sprockets 15 journalled in Because of the releasable drive coupling 84, the draper can beremoved from the casing by remov ing the bearing 81 withthe shaft 88 after which the entire draper assembly can be withdrawn endwise from the casing.

Means are provided for confining the fruit to the width of the draper as it is carried thereby.

For this purpose, alternate links I3 of the chain each carry a wing 88 (Figures 8, 9 and 10) which converge from the top downwardly as seen in Figure 9. The bottom portion of each wing extends across the two adjacent bars I2 so that as the bars pass around the sprockets at the ends of the draper, the unfolding of the wings 88 still presents a solid wall to prevent sidewise falling of the fruit from the conveyor. This condition is seen in Figure 4.

From the conveyor, the prunes are discharged through a discharge hopper IOI (Figure 4) which has its side walls cut away to conform to the -end of the draper with flared portions IIlIa to receive and guide the wings 98. Timing valve or gate I03 is provided in hopper IOI which is simmeshes with a large gear Ill (Figures 4 and 5i on shaft 92. Gear III meshes with a drive pinion IIS on shaft III which carries a worm wheel I I8 driven from worm I I9 on shaft 58.

Arranged to receive prunes fromthe timing valve I83 is a rotor or discharge valve I 2| secured on shaft 92, shaft 92 being journalled in sealed bearings I22 of housing II2. Valve I2I 5 is provided with a series of pockets I23 formed between radial walls I24 and end walls I28 of the rotor which are transversely slotted to receive a pair of sealing vanes I21 and I28. As seen in Figure 5, a plurality of compression on springs I29 are disposed within the slotted walls g5 ings in end walls I26 and ride on tracks I3I provided in housing I I2. A suitable lateral seal ring I82 of conventional split construction is provided at each side of the rotor at the ends of vanes I28. Each ring I32 is held against rotation with 0 the rotor by plug I35 having a pilot portion removably engaging an aperture in the ring. Each ring I32 is urged against rotor I2I adjacent the upper portions thereof by springs I30 seated in suitable recesses in the housing. Against its suitable bearings I6 adjustabl u t in 76 lower portion ring-I32 is engaged by springs I88 assasao seated in screw plugs I35a. Thus the space withsure through the feed opening I86, past the rotor and to discharge opening I33. Plug I35 when removed provides for endwise withdrawalof vanes I28. Intake valve structed.

The housing H2 (Figure 4) 'is provided with a cylindrical wall portion I36 over which the vanes travel in passing from the discharge to the feeding opening and a cylindrical wall portion I31 over which they travel in passing from the feed opening I36 toward a recessed portion I38 of the housing. Recessed portion i538 provides an initial space for discharge of the prunes from the pockets so that the prunes do not contact any I3 is similarly conof the wall space over which the vanes I28 must travel in sealing relation. This relationship is true in both the intake and discharge valves which is similarly constructed.

In operation, prunes are fed in a substantially constant manner to the feed hopper Ml (Figure 3) past the intake timing valve d2 into the adjacent feed product 38 as the valve 35 rotates. The travel of the timing gate 42 is so related to the adjacent feed pocket that it always travels in front of the trailing wall a of the adjacent pocket until the gate reaches the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, .where its lower edge is still spaced slightly from the adjacent wall of hopper at to prevent further flow of prunes and at the same time avoid mashing of a prune caught between the gateand the hopper. The flow of prunes is cut off before the pocket is filled com pletely so that the wall (1 passes by the adjacent edge of wall portion 35 without the possibility of any prunes being caught between the wall a and the edge of wall 35. s

As seen in Figure 3, the adjacent walls of the pockets 38 to the right of the, feed position are both in sealing engagement with respect to wall 35 so that a seal is maintained at all times between the pressure space within the cooker and the feed opening 39. As the feed valve continues to travel, the leading wall D of a pocket will pass into registry with the recessed portion 6| of the housing before the inclination of the wall b becomes such as to cause the falling of any prunes from the pocket against the wall 35. The prunes, therefore, drop from the feed rotor on bars I2 of the draper between the wings 96. The draper carries the prunes through an atmosphere of steam under pressure for subsequent discharge from the cooker.

As seen in Figure 4, as the prunes fall from the discharge end of the draper into the hopper IIII and their entry into the pockets I23 of the discharge valve I2I is controlled by the timing valve I03 which operates in the same timed relation with respect to the pockets I23 as described in connection with the feed valve. In connection with this timing, it is especially to be noted that at its extreme left hand position the timing valve I03 will first move slowly, than be accelerated and again move slowly by virtue of the relation of its drive link ms to the disc I09 as discharge of any. accumulated prunes into the next oncoming pocket. I claim: 4

LA valve mechanism comprising a housing having a feed opening and a discharge opening, a valve in said housing including a pocket movable between said openings to receive and discharge fruit, a gate movable to open and closed position for controlling the feed of fruit to the pocketthrough said feed opening, and means for opening the gate to admit fruit to the pocket and for subsequently closing the gate ahead of the trailing edge of the pocket to interrupt the flow of fruit to the pocket before the same leaves the feed opening.

2. A valve mechanism, comprising a housing having a feed opening and a, discharge opening, a valve in said housing including a pocket movable between said openings to receive and discharge fruit, a gate movable to open and closed position for controlling the feed of fruit to the pocket through said feed opening, said gate having a portion movable to interrupt the flow of fruit through said feed'opening, and means for opening the gate to admit fruit to the pocket and for subsequently'closing the gate ahead of the trailing edge of the pocket to interrupt the flow of fruit to the pocket before the same leaves the feed opening, said gate opening means including means for effecting a dwell in the operation' of the gate in its closed position.

3. A valve mechanism comprising a housing having a feed opening and a discharge opening, a valve in said housing including a pocket movable between said openings to receive and dls-' charge fruit, means for operating said valve to cause a timed movement of said valve between said openings, a gate for controlling the feed of fruit to said pocket through said feed opening, said gate being pivoted at one side of said feed opening to swing across and close said feed opening, and means for operating said gate in time with the movement of said pocket to swing said gate across said feed opening ahead of the trailing edge of said pocket and to interrupt the flow of fruit before said pocket leaves said feed opening.

p 4. A valve mechanism comprising a rotary member having a series of pockets mounted for successive movement past respective fruit feeding and fruit discharging openings, and means for controlling the feed of fruit to each of said pockets by interrupting the flow of fruit into a pocket as it is leaving th fruit receiving position, said last named means including a gate having a portion movable to close said feed opening, and means for operating said gate in time with said rotary valve member to move said gate portion across said-feed opening ahead of the trailing edge of the cooperating pocket to close said feed opening before said trailing edge passes from beneath said feed opening.

5. A valve mechanism comprising a rotary member having a series of pockets mounted for successive movement past a fruit receiving position to a fruit discharging position, a feed passage leading to said fruit receiving position, and means for controlling the feed of fruit to each of said pockets by interrupting the flow of fruit into a pocket as it is leaving the fruit receiving position, said last named means including a gate for opening and closing the feed passage to said pockets, and means foroperating said gate in time with said rotary valve member to move the gate across said feed passage ahead ofthe trailieed passage before said trailing edge passes from beneath said feed passage, said operating means effecting a dwell in the operation of said gate when positioned in passage closing position. a a

6. A valve mechanism comprising a rotary member having a series oi! pockets mounted for successive movement past a fruit receiving position to a fruit discharging position, a feed passage leading to said fruit receiving position, and means for controlling the feed of fruit to each of said pockets by interrupting the flow or fruit into a pocket as it is leaving the fruit receiving position, said last named means including a. gate for opening and closing the feed passage to said pockets, means mounting said gate in depending relation from an axis at one side of said feed passage, means for operating said gate in time with said rotary valve member to swing the gate about said axis with its lower edge traveling across said feed passage ahead of the trailing edge of the cooperating pocket to close the feed passage before said trailing, edge passes from beneath said feed passage. 7 v

'1. A valve mechanism comprising a housing having afeed opening at the top and a discharge opening at the bottom thereof, and a valve within said housing having a pocket for carrying fruit Irom said feed opening to said discharge opening,

ing edge of the cooperating pocket to close the having a cylindrical wall provided with a teed opening at the top and a discharge opening at the bottom thereof, and a rotary valve in said. housing having a pocket for carrying fruit from the feed opening to the discharge opening, a portion of said wall intermediate said feed and discharge openings being spaced from the periphery of the valve and tangentially disposed thereto forming a discharge passage leading to said discharge opening from a point in the travel of said travel pocket toward said discharge opening where the leading edge of the pocket prevents falling of fruit from the pocket.

10. A valve mechanism comprising a housing having a cylindrical wall provided with an upper teed opening and a lower discharge opening, a

' rotary valve in said housing having radial partisaid housing having a. wall section leading from said feed opening toward said discharge opening, and a wall portion spaced from said valve extending upwardly from said discharge opening toward said wall section and joining the same at a point above the beginning of discharge from said valve pocket.

8. A valve mechanism comprising a housing forming a passage terminating at a point in the travel of said valve pocket where the leading edge of the pocket prevents falling of fruit from the pocket, the remaining cylindrical wall portion between said passage and feed opening extending around the valve for at least the spacing of said v radial partitions.

11. A valve mechanism comprising a housing having a feed opening and a discharge opening, a valve in said housing including a pocket movable between said openings to receive and discharge ing the gate to admit fruit to the pocket and for having an upper feed opening and a lower discharge opening, and a rotary valve in said housing having a pocket for carrying fruit from said teed opening to said discharge opening, a portion of said housing being spaced from said valve forming a discharge passage leading to said discharge opening from a point in the travel of said valve pocket toward said discharge opening where the leading edge of the pocket resists falling of fruit from said pocket.

9. A valve mechanism comprising a housing subsequently closing the gate ahead of the trail- 40 ing edge of the pocket to interrupt the flow of edge of the pocket prevents falling of fruit fromsaid pocket.

ALBERT R. THOMPSON. 

